Networked computer system for communicating and operating in a virtual reality environment

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of andpriority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/228,093, which is adivisional of, and claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/893,400, filed on Aug. 17, 2007, which is adivisional of, and claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/874,022, filed on Jun. 5, 2001, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,269,632, each of which is incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention generally relates to interactive networkedcomputer systems, and in particular to networked computer systems whichenable a plurality of users to communicate and operate within the samevirtual reality environment.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, virtual reality technology has been generally known andutilized to implement computer interfaces for certain computer softwareapplications such as computer games and other Internet and World WideWeb applications. However, there exists a continuing need to provideusers with integrated, interactive, easy-to-use, creative and highlypersonalized virtual reality computer environments which may be utilizedas high-level user interfaces for various personal, business andcollaborative tasks.

To address this problem, the computer software industry is developingvirtual reality computer programs that provide virtual realityenvironments which can be shared by a number of users. Known examples ofsuch programs include Internet-based virtual reality network games andpublic chat portals which are typically provided from a remote dedicatedvirtual reality server accessible from the user or client computers viathe Internet global communication network. The interactions betweenremote server and client computers are carried out by TCP/IP protocol.Under this protocol, the client computers have the required andappropriate client software installed and running before they interactor communicate with the server. In general, all static data forproviding the virtual environment is stored locally on the clientcomputer. The locally stored data includes, for example, graphics, threedimensional object models and the client software. Such dataarchitecture enables a relatively large number of participants to actand communicate simultaneously in a virtual reality environment sincethe amount of data transferred over the Internet during network sessionsis significantly reduced. However, the centralized hosting modelsignificantly restricts the user's possible actions within such virtualenvironments because such publicly hosted virtual environments cannot beeffectively modified by users according to their personal and specificneeds.

The success of virtual reality technology also has impacted change onthe World Wide Web (“Web”) which is a widely used communication andinformation resource network that is built on or over the Internetinfrastructure. Users access the Web with the assistance of softwareprograms, usually called Web browsers, which in turn communicate withremotely hosted Web server software by high level HTTP communicationprotocol. This protocol uses Internet TCP/IP as an underlying transportprotocol.

The Web includes conventional web sites such as flat or two-dimensionalpages containing text and pictures as provided by Web browsers, and agrowing number of virtual reality capable Web sites (also known asVirtual Worlds). Such virtual reality environments are typicallydescribed by Virtual Reality Markup Language (“VRML”), VRML data filesare stored at Web servers and then downloaded and interpreted by Webbrowsers similar to regular HTML documents. Additional functionality forVRML environments, as is the case with HTML, is provided by Web browserscripting capabilities. The disadvantages of such Web-based virtualreality environments are, for example, the stateless model, relativelylow graphic quality and the lack of interactivity due to certainrestrictions of known Web technology.

For example, certain Virtual World data is stored remotely and generallymust be downloaded to a client computer each time a user accesses a webserver. The amount of such data cannot be substantial due to thetypically low speed of data transfer over the Internet. Thissignificantly restricts graphics quality, since graphic textures arerequired to remain small and simple in order to be effectivelycompressed and transmitted. The same is true for other data componentsof Virtual Worlds such as VRML files and supporting scripts.

In addition, users have no ability to modify such Virtual Worldenvironments in a persistent or consistent manner since all changes areusually restricted to a session scope and not stored permanently. As aresult, Virtual Worlds on the Web, in most cases, are relatively smalland have poor functionality, and therefore are not being optimallyutilized. Existing Virtual Worlds on the Web cannot represent or reflectthe reality of changes to an environment.

Known virtual reality technology has also gained popularity in othercomputer software applications such as organizing user data Severalcomputer software applications such as virtual desktop extenders andvirtual desktops are commercially available. These applications utilize3D environments to store and manage user files and programs. Suchdesktops are implemented as graphic shells over an underlying filesystem and typically provide computer file resources within somepre-defined 3D virtual workspace. They can also allow an “in-place”preview of selected World Wide Web contents without leaving the 3Denvironment, such as launching a stand-alone Web browser application.Unlike the previously discussed Internet-based applications (i.e.,publicly shared virtual reality environments) virtual desktops representa class of personal, locally stored and hosted virtual realityenvironments which do not provide user-to-user interaction within apublic virtual reality environment.

Known planning and design programs also utilize virtual realityinterfaces, for example, for interior as well as landscape planning anddesign. However, their functionality is generally limited to navigationand controlling movement/predesignated graphics viewed on a computerscreen.

A problem with implementing networked virtual reality computerenvironments relates to the existing communication methods betweenonline users in the virtual reality environments. Known multi-uservirtual reality communication applications use publicly sharedthree-dimensional environments as a communication media and aretraditionally implemented on a client-server platform. Within thisarchitectural framework, virtual environments are hosted on a dedicatedcentral server wherein users access and connect to the server as clientsand represent themselves within the environment as animated charactersor avatars. An example of such a network is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,956,038.

Communication between users within such environments requires thecorresponding central virtual reality server to be up and running and tohave sufficient capacity to handle such communications. Moreover, forsecurity reasons, users typically have restricted access rights toremotely hosted virtual environments wherein the session participants donot have complete control over the access rights, such as rights to addor remove objects, run applications or other like access rights. Forexample, in existing public chat portals, typical actions are restrictedto user avatar movements and chat function. This significantly restrictsuser capability to share visual and other information during acommunication session since the content and functionality of centrallyhosted virtual reality environments is not capable of providing allpossible needs or goals of each particular session.

Another problem with existing networked virtual computer environmentsrelates to data traffic limitations in publicly shared virtual realityenvironments. When utilizing a conventional dedicated central server,there is a limit to the number of users that can concurrently access theserver. This limit exists both for the server and the clients and inpart depends on the network connection bandwidth. The amount of datatransferred between the server and a particular client is alsoproportional to the number of all connected clients. For the server,this amount is proportional to the square of this number. As the numberof users increases, the rate of data transmission can be effectivelydecreased. In addition, an increased number of users can also result ina situation where new users may not be able to access the shared orpublic virtual environment.

In many cases, however, users access the public virtual realityenvironments to only communicate with other known users, for example,users on a personal contact list. In addition, certain users accesspublic virtual reality environments to perform certain personal tasksand not to communicate with other users. For example, users can visit anumber of public virtual environments, such as virtual shops, librariesor the like, analogous to how users can visit different Internetlocations during conventional Web page browsing.

A further problem with existing networked virtual reality environmentsrelates to how users can move from one virtual reality environment tothe next. The process of user transition from one virtual realityenvironment to another is referred to as a “teleportation.” In general,this process is implemented by utilizing hyperlinks, destination listsand direct user input. During teleportation, the user typically remainsidle and, in fact, beyond connection to any virtual environment. Inother words, teleportation, as generally known and used, does notprovide continuous networked communication. In addition, knownteleportation may require substantial time depending on the networkconnection bandwidth and the amount of data to be transferred to aclient computer. Moreover, teleportation is typically applied to oneparticular user at a time, that is, it does not support joint andsynchronous transition of several users from one virtual environment toanother.

The present invention recognizes the above-described problems and theoverall need to provide users with an integrated, easy-to-use, creativeand highly personalized virtual reality computer environment andaccordingly recognizes a need for a virtual reality computer environmentwith the capabilities, for example, to effectively represent and managecomputer informational resources, to establish interactive networkcommunication and to simulate and control external environments.

SUMMARY

The present invention solves the above problems by providing networkedcomputer systems that facilitate communication and operation in avirtual reality environment. The virtual reality environment providesthree dimensional objects to work and operate computer files andapplications in place of two dimensional icons associated withconventional two dimensional graphical user interfaces. By utilizingobjects, a user and in particular an inexperienced user, can more easilyand understandably operate a computer to, for example, communicate withother users.

The virtual reality environment can include a variety of differentenvironments that each contain a number of different objects. Forexample, one virtual reality environment provided by the presentinvention includes a virtual reality home environment. The user cancreate, customize and use (to a certain extent) objects for its virtualreality home environment in a similar manner that the user creates,customizes and uses such object in the user's everyday home environment.These objects are recognizable and familiar to the user whichfacilitates ease of operation within the virtual reality environment.For instance, if a user wants to turn on a light in the environment, theuser moves the light switch on a wall in the virtual reality homeenvironment from the “off” position to the “on” position. Moreover,these objects associated with the virtual home environment can beremotely utilized to control and operate a variety of objects of anactual home environment, such as a thermostat, lights, electricappliances and other like devices.

By utilizing the virtual reality environment of the present invention,such as the virtual reality home environment, users can share the samevirtual reality environment and can effectively communicate and interactwith one another to the extent that it appears or feels as if they wereactually meeting in person or in the same room or other physicallocation provided by the virtual reality environment. For example, otherusers of the environment can visit a certain user's home environment tointeract by, for example, conversing, playing a game, listening tomusic, or other like communication medium.

To effectively operate and communicate within a virtual realityenvironment, the present invention includes a computer networkinfrastructure. The network infrastructure preferably includes a numberof interconnected hosts and servers. Each host can include one or morevirtual reality environments which users can locate and access throughservers connected to or communicating with the hosts. The hosts andtheir users are preferably located via the servers by a number ofdifferent operations, such as through the visit user home mode andfollow user mode described below. Certain servers also function toregulate and control communication or network traffic between hosts.This can be done, for example, by uni-cast messaging and multi-castmessaging as described below.

Once the host is located and accessed, the virtual realityenvironment(s) associated with the host can be run in an active modeand/or a passive mode. In the active mode, server host and connectedclient hosts are in continuous network connection with one another. Thisenables server hosts to control and update any changes that are made tothe virtual reality environment associated with these hosts. In thepassive mode, network connection between server host and connectedclient hosts is terminated once a copy of the virtual realityenvironment is transmitted to a client. This enables users to createindependent user groups for sharing different and independent copies ofa virtual reality environment. By providing such groups, the amount oftransmitted data and the network space over which the data istransmitted is effectively minimized. The virtual reality environmentcan be shared by the users associated with a user group independent of adedicated server. This enhances communication and operation in thevirtual reality environment by, for example, increasing interactivity,graphics, and the rate at which data is transmitted.

The networked virtual reality environment of the present invention canalso be utilized to provide teleportation for a user or a group of usersincluding continuous network communication. This facilitatescommunication and interaction between users when performing certaincollaborative tasks or for gaining immediate access to particularvirtual environments. Examples of such continuous group travel scenariosinclude, but are not limited to, virtual guided tours or group access torestricted virtual environments under the control of an authorizedperson.

It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide virtualreality computer networked systems to facilitate communication andoperation within a virtual reality environment.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer tolike parts, components, processes and steps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the virtual realityenvironment network infrastructure of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a host registrationin accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a table illustrating example data of a session server databaseidentifying a number of registered hosts of one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the networkhierarchy of name servers and session servers of one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the virtual realityenvironment network executing multi-cast messaging and uni-castmessaging of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6 a, 6 b and 6 c are diagrammatic representations illustratingdynamic host roaming processes during the establishment of networkcommunication sessions between hosts.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating host name aliasingoperations of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the host systemsoftware architecture of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9 a and 9 b are diagrammatic representations illustrating hostclient mode.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a host acting inboth client mode and server mode.

FIGS. 11 a, 11 b, 11 c and 11 d are diagrammatic representationsillustrating examples of network communication sessions between hosts inactive mode.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the “Visit UserHome” mode of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is diagrammatic representation illustrating the “Follow User”mode of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is diagrammatic representation illustrating symmetric channelcommunication.

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating teleportationprovided by one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 a is a diagrammatic representation illustrating the collocationof the virtual reality environment and teleporter in three dimensionalspace of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic representation of teleportation illustratingvirtual travel between an entry point and a clone entry point.

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a teleportationcontrol panel.

FIGS. 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d, 18 e and 18 f are diagrammaticrepresentations illustrating a variety of teleportation control paneldisplays.

FIGS. 19 a, 19 b and 19 c are diagrammatic representations illustratinghost network communication during group teleportation.

FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic representation of the Host page search requestillustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides networked computer systems thatfacilitate communication and operation within a virtual realityenvironment. The virtual reality environment replaces two dimensionalicons, such those associated with conventional two dimensional graphicaluser interfaces, with three dimensional objects to work and operatecomputer files and applications. By utilizing three dimensional objects,a user and particularly an inexperienced computer user, can more easilyand understandably use and operate a computer to communicate with otherusers and perform other tasks.

It should be appreciated that the virtual reality environment of thepresent invention can include a variety of different environments thateach have a number of different objects. For example, one virtualreality environment of the present invention includes a homeenvironment. The user can create, customize and use its virtual realityhome environment in a similar manner that it can change the surroundingsin the user's home. The customized virtual reality home environment ismore recognizable and familiar to the user than a conventional twodimensional graphical user interface. This facilitates the user'sability to use and operate a computer.

By utilizing one of the virtual reality environments adapted to beprovided by the present invention, such as the home environment, userscan share the same virtual reality environment and can effectivelycommunicate and interact with one another to the extent that it is as ifthey were actually meeting in person. For example, users can visit acertain user's home environment to interact by, for example, conversing,playing a game, performing collaborative work, listening to music orother like communication medium. It should be appreciated that while ahome environment is used herein to describe the present invention, thepresent invention is adapted to provide any environment such as a workor office environment, an exercise or sports environment, a meetingenvironment, learning environments such as classrooms, libraries andlaboratories, shopping environments such as virtual shopping malls andentertainment or gaming environments such as virtual attractions,amusement parks and virtual reality games.

Referring now to the Figures, to facilitate effective communication andoperation within a virtual reality environment, such as a homeenvironment, one embodiment of the present invention provides anetworked computer system or a computer network architecture orinfrastructure 10 generally illustrated in FIG. 1. This infrastructure10 includes a variety of different components such as hosts 12 andservers 14 that provide users 16 with the ability to locate, access,activate and operate within virtual reality environments associated withthe hosts 12. Various components of this embodiment of the networkinfrastructure of the present invention are discussed below.

A central component of the infrastructure are the hosts 12. In oneembodiment of the present invention, such host 12 is a computer(discussed in greater detail below) adapted to run the application(s),module(s), program(s) or other suitable software for enabling the hostto operate in a virtual reality environment. Users 16 respectivelyaccess hosts 12 to function and operate within the virtual realityenvironment and to communicate with other users 16 via the network 17. Auser 16 can access a host either locally at that host (i.e., local user)or remotely through another host (i.e., remote user). A local usergenerally includes a user who accesses or logs into a local host andphysically operates the local host computer. A remote user includes auser who accesses a remote host and physically operates the remote hostto establish network communication sessions with a local host. It shouldbe appreciated that a user 16 generally includes a person or a computerprogram that functions within the virtual reality environment associatedwith a certain host or hosts.

In order to facilitate network connections between hosts, the hosts areuniquely identified by a registration process. During the registrationprocess, the host is assigned a unique identifier, such as a hostidentifier (“host ID”). With a unique identifier, the host can be easilylocated within the networked computer system of the present invention.

The host is assigned its host identifier by a session server 18 (i.e., ahome session server) which stores this information along with otherinformational data associated with that host. For example, the homesession server also includes information relating to the owner of thehost, such as the owner identification (“owner ID”). Each registeredhost in the system of the present invention has an owner, namely aregistered user of the system.

The registered user, like the registered host, has a unique identifier,such as a user identifier (“user ID”). The user ID information is alsostored by the respective home session server 18. If the host ID is thesame as the owner ID for a particular host, the host is referred to as aprimary host of the registered user. However, users can own additionalor secondary hosts.

The present invention preferably enables a host owner to implementaccess restrictions to limit and control access of its host. The accessrestrictions can be applied in any suitable way, such as to hostedvirtual reality environments, particular areas within such environments,available operations over objects or classes of objects, access time forcertain users and categories, groups or lists of users and other hostswho have access rights to the host.

For example, the access restrictions can prevent anonymous users (i.e.,those users who have logged onto the network with a user ID thatcorresponds to a special “anonymous” value from accessing the owner'shost or any virtual reality environment in such host. Accessrestrictions can be further utilized to specify how to access a host(i.e., local or remote access) and to designate certain remote hostsfrom which a user(s) can only access the owner's host. Although theowner of a host always has full local access to its host, it canrestrict or even remove its own remote access to such host for securityreasons.

Thus, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limitedto registered hosts and registered users. Users and hosts can beanonymous. Anonymous users do not have a unique identifier. Thissituation occurs when a user ID or other user identifier is not requiredto log into or access a host. For example, a public computer host orterminal, such as a public computer terminal located at an airport, maynot require a user ID for the log in procedure or process. This enablesanonymous users to run a certain application in a virtual realityenvironment associated with the terminal without having to perform anyformal log in procedures. This essentially provides unrestricted accessto the public terminal for purposes of, for example, finding a specifiedlocation within the airport or other like public venue, such as ashopping mall.

An anonymous host may have a unique identifier assigned to it. Thisidentifier may be temporary and may change each time a networkconnection is made via the anonymous host. This situation is similar tothe TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) dynamic IPaddressing scheme which dynamically assigns IP addresses to computersthat have a dial-up Internet connection. In general, anonymous hostscannot be accessed directly from other remote hosts except if a “FollowUser” mode is utilized to locate a certain user as described in moredetail below.

There are several reasons why anonymous hosts are utilized by thepresent invention. Such hosts may be typically used when remote accessto the public host is not required. For example, in the case discussedabove, public virtual reality terminals can be accessed only locally.These public terminals preferably do not store independent copies of theshopping mall VRE. Rather, they are connected as passive clients to aserver host which has a centrally installed hosted shopping mall VRE.Accordingly, there is no need to provide remote access to the publichosts terminals, since they don't store any VREs, and there is nothingto access at public terminals. Such hosts can conserve server disk spacebecause its home session server does not store permanent registrationdata. Such hosts provide a higher level of security in one directionsince anonymous hosts cannot, in general, be directly accessed fromother remote hosts. Such hosts are better suited for mobile or portablecomputers or access devices.

Dynamic roaming procedures are more typically and frequently utilized bymobile or portable computers in order to provide network access orconnection. An anonymous host's dynamic roaming procedures are generallyfaster than a registered host's roaming procedures. Unlike theregistered host, the anonymous host has no permanent home sessionserver. Therefore, the anonymous host is not required to contact and/ornotify a home session server each time the anonymous host changesconnections to some other session server, namely, a session server thatis currently nearest to it. For registered hosts, home session servernotification is mandatory because it gives other users the opportunityto locate such a host on the network.

In addition, the anonymous host cannot participate in network expansionsbecause it does not have a permanent host ID which may be subject tochange during, for example, host name aliasing as described in detailbelow. Although an anonymous host does not have a permanent identifier,it preferably has an owner (i.e., a registered or anonymous user). Thisis necessary to provide the owner with privileged and unlimited accessto the host in order to, for example, create, delete or modify virtualenvironments on the host, determine security and privacy rulesassociated with other users and perform other like procedures.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the computer network system 10provides various servers through which registration, location and accessof hosts 12 can be established. In general, a server of the presentinvention includes a database that stores data associated with the hostsand a processor adapted to access such database and transmit such data.For example, the present invention preferably includes name servers 20,such as child name servers and a root name server, data servers 21 andsession servers 18 which store and transmit data associated with hosts12 and users 16. This data is utilized to register, locate and accesshosts 12.

As previously discussed, each host 12 is assigned to a home sessionserver 18 during the registration process. An example of a hostregistration process is performed as follows and illustrated in FIG. 2.The host 12 has a software installation program which is adapted toestablish a network connection between the host 12 and the root nameserver 21 a. The host 12 sends a “find nearest session server” requestto this server 21 a as shown in callout 1 of block 21 b. The root nameserver 21 a prompts the host 12 for further information, such as acurrent IP address, physical location, telephone numbers and otherinformation which may be used to better locate the home session serverassociated with this host 12.

As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the root name server sends a“calculate logical distance” request (as shown at callout 2 of block 21c) to each of its child name servers 21 d and session servers (notshown). This provides the child servers 21 d with information regardingthe host 12 associated with the previous step in the registrationprocess. Each child server 21 d returns to the parent server 21 a thecalculated logical distance between that server 21 d and the host 12.When a reply is received from each of the child servers 21 d, the rootname server 21 a selects the server 21 d that has the minimum logicaldistance to the host 12. If this server is a name server (i.e., nameserver “US” 21 e), the root name server 21 a redirects a “find nearestsession server” request to it as shown in callout 3 of block 21 f.

Name server “US” 21 e performs the same procedure that the root nameserver 21 a previously executed by retransmitting a “find nearestsession server” request to one of its child servers 21 g that has aminimum logical distance to the host 12, namely, the name server “IL.US”21 h as shown in callout 4 of block 21 i and callout 5 of block 21 j.Name server “IL.US” 21 h similarly executes a request to each of itschild name servers (not shown) and session servers 21 k to calculate thelogical distance as shown in callout 6 of block 21 m. This requestresults in the “chicago.il.us” server 21 n as the server nearest inlogical distance to the host 12 in the example. Since the“chicago.il.us” server 21 n is a session server, the request iscomplete. Thus, the information associated with this session server 21 n(i.e., server ID, IP address and other like information) is returned tothe host by way of the name sever “IL.US” 21 h via name server “US” 21 eand the root name server 21 a as shown in callout 7 of block 21 b,callout 8 of block 21 p and callout 9 of block 21 q. With thisinformation associated with the session server 21 n, the host can send a“register host” request to that session server 21 n as shown in callout10 of block 21 r.

To complete registration, further information relating to the host andits user is transmitted to the host's home session server. Thisinformation includes, for example, nickname, current host IP Address,owner ID (only required for secondary host registration), password andother like information. Using this information, the session servercreates a unique host ID associated with the host that is stored in itsdatabase. The session server sends the host ID to the host where it isstored locally at the host for use by the session server associated withthe host for subsequent connections to the network. For example, eachhost is required to send its host ID to the home session server eachtime it connects to the network in order to identify itself.

The registration information is utilized to locate and access hosts andis stored in data fields associated with the home session server'sdatabase 22 as illustrated in FIG. 3. As further illustrated in FIG. 3,the home session server can be utilized for a number of different hostsas indicated in block 22 a, block 22 b and block 22 c.

As previously discussed, the home session server includes a number ofdifferent data fields associated with its database 22. The data fieldscontain a variety of different information relating to the host and itsuser. For example, the host ID field 24 uniquely identifies the host aspreviously discussed. A nickname field 26 contains a name associatedwith the user who owns the host. An IP address field 28 includes IPaddress information. The status field 30 contains such information aswhether the host is offline, online, redirected, moved or other likestatus information. The type field 32 contains such information aswhether the host is permanent, transient or other like information. Theredirection field 34 contains such information as to where or from wherethe host has been moved or redirected as discussed in detail below. Theowner ID field 36 identifies the owner of the host or the owner's ID. Ifthe owner ID and the host ID are the same, then the host is the primaryhost of that owner as previously mentioned. The password field 38provides a password that is necessary to access the host. The ownerterminal field 40 contains information relating to what host the owneris currently logged into.

This field is used only in database records associated with primaryhosts. If the owner of the primary host currently is not logged into thenetwork, this field is blank. If the owner is currently logged into itsprimary host, then the owner terminal field 40 and the host ID field 24are the same. If the owner terminal field 40 and host ID field 24 aredifferent, then the owner of the primary host is currently logged intothe network via a host having a host ID as indicated in the ownerterminal field, for example, 01234567@toronto.ca as indicated in block40 a.

Upon completion of the registration procedure, the host also obtains anIP address associated with a secondary home session server. Thesecondary home session server can be used, for example, in place of thecurrent or primary home session server (i.e., the home session serverfirst contacted during host connection to the network) when the currentor primary home session server is inoperable.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the network computer system of the presentinvention preferably includes data servers 21. These data servers areutilized to download static virtual reality data to hosts, such as threedimensional (“3D”) graphics, models, sounds, textures, program modules,scripts or other like data. This type of data can be requested by hostswhen, for example, creating new virtual reality environments, updatinghost system data, remotely accessing existing virtual realityenvironments that are installed on other hosts or other like operations.It should be appreciated that static 3D data, such as 3D model wireframe, graphic textures or other like 3D data, is much larger in sizethan dynamic 3D data that simply describes the virtual realityenvironment itself. For example, static 3D data associated with a woodenchair, such as a 3D skeleton which describes the shape of the chair andbitmaps that represent the wood surfaces, will generally be much largerthan the dynamic 3D data that describes the chair location within aparticular virtual environment (i.e., six numbers that represent a chairposition and orientation). This type of data is typically transferredfrom the data servers 21 as compared to being transferred directly fromthe host computer 12.

There are two primary advantages of utilizing data servers 21 to accessand transmit static 3D data. First, the data servers 21 can transmitthis data much faster than if, for example, the data was transferredfrom another host. The data servers 21 typically have a much fasternetwork connection. Second, the host computer 12 will not then beoverloaded with requests to transmit such data (i.e., outgoing networktraffic). Thus, the host computer 12 can potentially serve moreconnecting client host computers.

It should be appreciated that static 3D data is not required to betransferred from the data server 21 to the host computer 12 each timethe user wants to access some remotely hosted virtual realityenvironment. Since this type of data cannot be changed by the host owneror any other user, such data is required to be transferred only once toa user's computer. The data is then stored or cached in local storageassociated with the host for subsequent use. The next time that the userconnects to a remotely hosted virtual reality environment, this data canbe transferred from its local storage thereby significantly reducing thetime necessary for the user or more appropriately its host to access thevirtual reality environment of a certain remote host, that is, the dataserver is bypassed during this data transmission.

More specifically, in one preferred embodiment of the networkarchitecture of the present invention, each session server has primaryand secondary data servers assigned to it. Relative to a host, which hasassigned a home session server assigned to it, these data servers arecalled home data servers of that host. Home data servers are used byhosts as default data servers, which they'll try to connect to first todownload static virtual reality data.

When a user at a local host accesses a virtual reality environment atsome remote host, the remote host becomes a server for the local hostproviding it with the needed virtual reality environment data, while thelocal host acts as a client. In order to communicate with the serverhost, the client host must obtain a copy of the virtual realityenvironment data, which is comprised of static and dynamic data.

Dynamic data describe actual current parameter values of all objectexemplars, such as, for example, object coordinates within the virtualreality environment and the like. The set of object parameters for aparticular object exemplar depends on its type and can vary fordifferent objects.

Unlike dynamic data, static data contains information about objecttypes, such as, for example, object 3D models, graphic textures, controlroutings code, and the like. Object type static data is shared by manyobject exemplars of this type, which may be located at the same ordifferent virtual reality environments. For example, several differentvirtual reality environments may have a plurality of exemplars of someDOOR object located at different places, each of which has the same 3Dmodel and control routine, for example, implementing door open/closefunction. Thus, the DOOR object 3D model is shared by a plurality ofDOOR object exemplars.

Dynamic data records, which describe particular object exemplars withinthe environment contain references to static data records. Thesereferences are preferably stored in dynamic data records in aconventional form of Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs), which arerepresented by 16-byte values. After the dynamic data are received bythe client host, it can retrieve the list of all needed static dataGUIDs from dynamic data records and issue the request for static datarecords to a data server passing it the list of GUIDs as a parameter.

It should be appreciated that the client host first checks the entireGUIDs list to determine whether corresponding static data records withinthe list were already cached in its local storage (i.e., client hosts'shard drive). The client then filters out all found GUIDs from the list,since static data records referred by them can be retrieved directlyfrom the hosts's cache without requesting a download from the dataserver. All missing static data records (i.e., those that are not incache) are then downloaded from a data server, and cached for subsequentstatic data requests.

In order to download the required static virtual reality data, a clienthost must obtain the IP addresses of its home data servers. Theseaddresses are passed to the host from it's home session server each timethe host goes online. Having these IP addresses, the client host firsttries to access and download needed static data from the primary dataserver. If the client host detects that the primary data server isoverloaded or inoperable, it tries to download needed static data fromthe secondary data sever. If some of the required static data still cannot be found on either of the client's home data servers, the clienthost must contact the home data servers of the server host and downloadthe needed static data from there. The client host obtains the IPaddresses of home data servers of the server host during the dynamicvirtual reality environment data transfer. It then uses these IFaddresses to access the server host home data servers to download thestatic data which were not found on the client's home data servers.

The client host also passes the IP addresses of the server hosts homedata servers to it's own home data servers when issuing the request forstatic data download. This facilitates the automatic distribution ofstatic virtual reality environment data between data servers. Each timea home data server of the client host receives the request for staticdata download from it, it also receives the IP addresses of home dataservers of the server host, to which the client host is trying toconnect. If some static data can not be found in the database of aclient's home data server, it contacts the home data servers of theserver host and requests the transfer of such static data to itself.From the moment all indicated static data were copied, the home dataserver of the client host can provide these data to other hosts whichmay request them in the future.

It should be appreciated that the described process of static datadistribution between data servers is asynchronously relative to anyhost-to-host communication and may be scheduled by a data server for anyappropriate time. After the data server has determined that it cannotprovide some static virtual reality data to the requesting client host,as it was described above, it can, depending on its current workloadeither immediately initiate data transfer or do this subsequently. Themain purpose of such data pre-retrieval is to facilitate download ofstatic data which may be requested by hosts. It reduces the workloadfactor of home data servers of the server hosts, since after theirstatic data were pre-retrieved by other data servers, they can bedownloaded directly from them. On the other hand, client hostsrequesting some static data may get them faster from their own home dataservers, since these servers are the nearest to client hosts by logicaldistance.

It should be appreciated that all of the static data of the virtualreality environment stored locally at a host must be present at primaryand secondary home data servers of that host. In this way, allconnecting client hosts and their home data servers are guaranteed toobtain needed static data in case they cannot be found both at theclient host cache and it's home data servers. In order to meet thisrequirement of network architecture, any host, which has created a newvirtual environment or added object exemplars of a new object type tothe existing environment must communicate all new static data used bythe virtual reality environment to its own home data servers.

There are several ways the host can obtain and register new static data.Such data may come on a data storage medium such as a diskette, a harddrive, an optical disk (i.e., CD-ROM) or be downloaded from the Internetas a collection of object models, or such models may be, for example,created and registered at the host with the help of the appropriateauthoring tools. In any case, whenever new static data are added to theexisting or created virtual environment available for remote access, thehost obtains from its home session server the IP address of the primary(or secondary, if primary is not available) home data server and sendsit the request for static data update. This request contains the list ofall new static data GUIDs, that were added to the host local cache. Thehome data server responds with a sublist of those record GUIDs from theoriginal list, that are not stored in its database. After this, the hosttransfers all of the missing static data records to the data server.Depending on what data server (i.e., primary or secondary) was contactedby the host, that server is responsible for further transmitting theobtained static data to the companion data server (i.e., secondary orprimary).

It should be appreciated that in order to prevent the unrestrictedincrease of the amount of static data on the data servers, the datarecords, that are not used by the hosts should eventually be removed.This process may be initiated, for example, when the data server needsto free disk space for storing new static data records. To keep track ofstatic data usage, each data server stores the lists of the referringhosts for all static data records. The data server adds the host ID tothe list of referring hosts associated with the record each time thehost issues a data update request containing that record GUID, asdescribed above. The data server removes the host ID from the listassociated with the record each time the data removal request for thatrecord is issued by the host.

A static data record removal request is sent by the host to its homedata server if there are no references left to this record from anydynamic data records which describe the virtual reality environmentsstored at the host. This may happen when, for example, the last exemplarof some object of a certain type is removed from the virtual environmentand all other virtual environments don't have object exemplars of thistype. Thus, when the host sends a data removal request, it passes to thedata server the list of GUIDS of those static data records, that are nolonger used by the host.

To overcome the issue of “idle hosts,” (i.e., those hosts that stayoffline for a long period of time), the static data removal request maybe sent to the data server by the idle host's home session server on itsbehalf. Such requests are sent to the data server when a host's idletime limit at the home session server has been expired. In this case,the session server requests the data server to release all static datarecords associated with the idle host and marks that host as “idle” inits database. If such idle host subsequently goes online, it then willhave to resubmit all its static data to primary and secondary home dataservers as described above.

Returning now to static data records, it should be appreciated thatthose records, which have empty lists of referring hosts associated withthem are not removed from the data server immediately after the dataremoval request. In fact, they may stay on the server for a certainperiod of time. Nevertheless, such records must be removed from the dataserver when, for example, the data server has insufficient disk spacefor new records, which may be requested by hosts to be stored at theserver. Candidates for removal may be selected by the data server, forexample, with the help of, well known in the art, LRU (Least RecentlyUsed) algorithm.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the name servers 20, session servers 18 anddata servers 21 form an architecture hierarchy. This is important forpurposes of locating hosts and servers as described below. The base ofthe hierarchy structure is formed by a number of name servers 20 whichare positioned at a variety of different domain levels. In FIG. 4, thename server 20 a is at the root of the hierarchy, that is, it is locatedat the highest domain level. The name server 20 b and name server 20 care located at a next highest domain level. The name server 20 d andname server 20 e are located at the lowest domain level as illustratedin FIG. 4. Once the hierarchy of name servers 20 is established, thesession servers 18 and data servers 21 are connected to the various nameservers as further illustrated in FIG. 4.

As previously discussed, the computer network system of the presentinvention includes session servers 18. The session servers are utilizedto register hosts as previously discussed. The session servers are alsoutilized to conduct and direct outgoing hosts network traffic to aplurality of communicating hosts. The hosts transmit data destined to aplurality of other hosts via interconnected session servers asillustrated in FIG. 5. Data from the host 48 is transmitted through itshome session server 50. This data is then transmitted to hosts 54, hosts56 (via session server 58) and hosts 60 (via session server 62). This isreferred to as multi-cast messaging wherein data is transmitted to anumber of hosts through a single session server.

The multi-cast messaging function directed from the home session serversignificantly reduces the host's outgoing network traffic. The host onlyneeds to transfer one message to its home session server 50. Thismessage or data is relayed, communicated or transmitted to a number ofother hosts and session servers as illustrated in FIG. 5. The datatransmitted directly from the session servers to the hosts is referredto as uni-cast messaging (i.e., data transmitted from session server 50to host 54), that is, data is transmitted to an individual host.

The reduction in outgoing network traffic sent from the host is criticalconsidering the fact that a host, in general, does not have an efficientInternet connection, particularly when the host is a mobile, personalcomputer or other system access device as compared to a miniframe ormainframe computer. It should be appreciated that the use of sessionservers as a gateway to the network for hosts is applicable for hostscomputers that have either a wire network connection (i.e., modem) or awireless network connection.

In addition to reducing outgoing host network traffic, session serversare further utilized to optimize the network connection speed for aparticular host. This results from the fact that session servers can belocated in a number of different geographical regions. Increased networkconnection speed becomes particularly critical when the user attempts toaccess the network via a remote host.

For example, the user can access the network via a remote host, such asa mobile or portable computer when the user is out of the user's officeor not at the user's local host. In order to facilitate networkconnection speed, dynamic roaming is utilized to locate a session server(not necessarily the home session server of its local host) nearest theremote host. The dynamic roaming function is diagrammaticallyillustrated in FIGS. 6 a, 6 b and 6 c. In FIG. 6 a, a network connectionis established between host 64 (i.e., host X) and host 66 (i.e., host Y)via session server 68 and session server 70, respectively. The sessionserver 68 is the home session server of host X and the session server 70is the home session server of host Y. This illustrates the typicalsituation where the host establishes a network connection via its homesession server.

In FIG. 6 b, a network communication is established between host X andhost Y. Host X attempts to make this connection via session server 68while host X is located in Europe and the session server 68 is locatedin the United States. However, this type of network connection resultsin a decreased network connection speed due to the increased logicaldistance between host X and session server 68.

To increase the network connection speed for this situation, host X isredirected to the session server 70 (i.e., dynamic roaming). Onceredirected, host X and host Y communicate via a single session server,namely session server 70. This results because session server 70 is thenearest available session server to host X. In general, the nearestavailable session server can be determined by calculating and comparingthe logical distances F_(i), where i is a positive integer, between anynumber of available servers and the host. The logical distance F is afunction of the number of hops H between servers and a neighbor servercurrent workload ratio R.

It should be appreciated that other hosts attempting to establishnetwork communication with host X through its home session server (i.e.,session server 68) will be informed that host X's session server hasbeen temporarily moved to the session server 70. When host X isredirected, session server's 68 database can be updated with thisinformation by communicating with session server 70. The redirectioninformation is preferably stored in session server's database 68 asillustrated in FIG. 3. For example, the redirection field 34 of the hostpermanent record associated with the home session server 68 can includeinformation relating to the whereabouts of host X, for example, asindicated in box 34 a.

In addition, the host is marked as redirected in the database of itshome session server (i.e., session server 68). This appears, forexample, in the status field 30 as indicated in box 30 a as furtherillustrated in FIG. 3. Further, the roaming session server (i.e.,session server 70) identifies the host as transient in the type field 32as further illustrated in FIG. 3 and indicated in box 32 a and storesthe host's home session server name in the redirection field asindicated in box 34 b. This signifies that the session server is not thehome session server of this host.

The present invention thus enables a user to locate the remote hostalthough the host has been moved or redirected from its home sessionserver. Dynamic roaming can also be applied to the situation where theprimary home session server is overloaded in such a way that networksessions are established via the secondary home session server aspreviously mentioned. With this information, the other hosts canestablish network communications with the redirected host (i.e., host X)via its roaming session server (i.e., session server 70).

Alternatively, the host can be permanently moved and relocated toanother host location (i.e., another session server) as illustrated inFIG. 7. This is referred to as host name aliasing. The session server 72associated with the old host location (indicated in block 74) identifiesthis host 75 as being moved as shown in the type field of the sessionserver database indicated in block 76. In addition, this sessionserver's database indicates the new location of the host in theredirection field of its database as further indicated in block 76. Thesession server 78 associated with the new host location (indicated inbox 80) identifies the host 75 as being permanently relocated as shownin the type field of this session server's database as indicated inblock 82.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7, the host 75 obtains a new host ID whenit is moved to its new location. This type of roaming mechanism can beutilized to preserve host names which were initially associated withsome high level domain (i.e., name server 84) yet had to be moved toanother session server 78 associated with a lower level domain (i.e.,name server 86) due to network expansion. Thus, when another host (notshown) attempts to establish network communication with host 75 via theold session server location, it will be prompted with the informationthat the host 75 has been permanently moved. This host can update itsaddress information relating to the move such that it can contact thenew home session server (i.e., session server 78) directly when it againattempts to establish network communications with the host.

It should be appreciated that the host 75 effectively has two namesafter the move. Host 75 has a primary name (the newly assigned one,i.e., 00005678@alpha.com as indicated in block 80) and a secondary name(the old one, i.e., 00001234@alpha.com as further indicated in block 80)which is used as an alias. Therefore, network communication with thehost 75 can be made directly or indirectly by utilizing the primary nameand secondary name, respectively.

It should be appreciated that session servers of the present inventiondo not assign IP addresses to hosts. The present invention can operateover the TCP/IP network protocol level which generates the IP addresses.Therefore, the present invention uses these IP addresses.

The IP addresses can be assigned to network nodes either in a static ordynamic way. For example, all servers must have static IP addresses suchthat hosts can establish TCP/IP connection with servers. With respect tohosts, IP addresses can be both static and dynamic. The session serversstore and use host IP addresses associated with the servers databaseonly when the host is online as indicated, for example, in the STATUSfield 30 of the server's database by the “online” value of block 30 b.Otherwise, the IP address is not utilized because hosts obtain new anddifferent IP addresses each time a host goes online.

It should also be appreciated that server names may not belong to theInternet DNS (Domain Name System) namespace because the presentinvention does not necessarily rely on the existing DNS infrastructure.In other words, names associated with the servers of the presentinvention are not associated with a particular domain name on theInternet. Thus, the name system associated with the present inventionmay not interfere with the existing Internet domain name system. Theserver names, such as “alpha.com” and “chicago.il.us” as previouslymentioned, provide illustrative examples of the types of names that canbe utilized.

As previously discussed, the present invention provides systems andmethods for users to communicate and operate within virtual realityenvironments. The host is a central component of the networked computersystem of the present invention because it houses the virtual realityenvironment such that users can effectively interact with the virtualreality environment to for example, create and customize its personalvirtual reality environment, communicate with other users within itspersonal virtual reality environment or another user's virtual realityenvironment or perform any suitable computer application or functionwithin the virtual reality environment.

In general, in one embodiment host 88 is a computer which includes acentral processing unit connected to a number of conventional hardwareor software computer components such as system random access memory(“system RAM”) 90, hard drive 92, input/output devices 94, such askeyboard, mouse, computer display, speakers and other like computercomponents as illustrated in FIG. 8. The system RAM includes, forexample, data 96, code 98 and an operating system (OS) 100 as also shownin FIG. 8. It should be appreciated that the host could be arranged inany other suitable manner in accordance with the present invention.

For example, the program code may be embodied on any of a variety ofknown media, such as a diskette, hard drive, an optical disk (i.e.,CD-ROM) or the like. The code may be distributed on such media, or maybe distributed to hosts from the memory or storage of one host computerover a network of some suitable type to other host computers for use. Itshould be appreciated that any suitable technique and/or method forembodying software program code on physical media and/or distributingsoftware code via networks can be utilized.

To properly house the virtual reality environment, the host accounts forthe complex structure of the virtual reality environment which includesboth virtual reality environment data (including static data originallyreceived from the data servers and dynamic data received from otherhosts or the memory of the hosts) and program code. The data can includefor example an active client virtual reality environment as indicated inbox 102. The active client virtual reality environment can betransmitted from another host 106 during network communication session.The operation within this virtual reality environment can be viewed onthe input/output device 94 by a local user (not shown).

In addition, the data can include an active server virtual realityenvironment as indicated in box 104. The active server virtual realityenvironments are permanently stored in the host's hard drive 92 and canbe transmitted to remote hosts (not shown) via network communicationsessions. A detailed discussion of network communication between hostsis provided below.

Before communication and interaction within the virtual realityenvironment can proceed, the virtual reality environment must beactivated. The activation of a virtual reality environment is analogousto opening a locally stored text file with, for example, any suitabledata processing software. In this example, the activated virtual realityenvironment is analogous to the opened text file. In addition, multiplevirtual reality environments can be activated at the same time just asmultiple text files can be opened by the data processing software.

However, the virtual reality environment is not activated by simplyinstalling it into the system memory. Rather, the virtual realityenvironment must also be activated by the host software, that is, thehost software, for example, runs various routines that control thebehavior of active objects within the virtual environment, such as, forexample, robots and handles various event flows, and performs other likeoperations.

Host program code includes, for example, a user interface module, avirtual reality environment simulation and control module, a data accessand caching module or other like virtual reality process modules asindicated in box 108, box 110 and box 112, respectively.

The user interface module 108 can be utilized, for example, to performvisual rendering of current active virtual environments on a computerscreen and audio rendering of current active virtual environments onspeakers, headphones or other audio devices. It can further be utilizedto accept user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse or other like input.The user interface module 108 translates this input into appropriatecontrol commands, such as user avatar movements, object controlcommands, virtual reality environment activating commands, host userlogin/logout commands and the like. The translated input is sent to thevirtual reality environment simulation and control module 110 forexecution.

The execution includes a variety of different operations. For example,the virtual reality environment simulation and control module 110 loadsand activates in system memory the virtual reality environment that isrequested by the user (via the user interface module). To activate thevirtual reality environment, the virtual reality environment simulationand control module 110 requests the data access and caching module 112to provide the necessary static and dynamic virtual reality environmentdata. Once activated, the virtual reality environment simulation andcontrol module 110 can execute control commands received from, forexample, the local user, remote and network connected hosts or fromobject and environmental control routines. In the latter case, controlcommands are generated automatically by such routines as a result of thevirtual reality simulation process.

For example, an active object, such as an “automatic door,” can have anassigned scripting routine that causes the automatic door to open eachtime a user (represented by an avatar) approaches it. Environmentcontrol routines, for example, may include geometrical collisiondetecting routines which prevent interpenetration of object boundariesor other like routines that simulate the laws of nature, such asmechanics, hydrodynamics and the like. The virtual reality environmentsimulation and control module 110 can also perform any necessaryrun-time security and privacy checks.

The data access and caching module 112 is utilized to deliver data thatis necessary to activate and run the virtual environments as previouslydiscussed. For example, it translates dynamic and static virtual realitydata requests issued by the virtual reality environment simulation andcontrol module 110 to network requests to remote hosts and data servers.The data access and caching module 112 can receive and locally storestatic virtual reality data associated with the host for subsequent use.It can further perform network communication sessions by, for example,transmitting virtual reality control commands and data which arecompiled and sent between hosts as unicast or multicast messages. Thedata access and caching module can also store and provide securedcertified access associated with host owner private data, such aspersonal address books, passwords and the like.

Once the virtual reality environment(s) is activated on a host, theenvironment can be accessed and operated by other hosts which areallowed access to such environment as indicated above and furtherdescribed below. Although several virtual reality environments can beactivated on a host acting as an active server, preferably one of theactive environments is displayed at one time. This type of activevirtual reality environment is referred to as a current activeenvironment as further indicated in box 102 of FIG. 8. The remainingactive virtual reality environments run in a stealth mode on such host;that is, they remain open or available for other remote users to operatewithin them. However, the local user cannot view any changes made by theremote users to the active virtual reality environments that run instealth mode if the local user is working in the current activeenvironment which is viewed on a display screen. The local user may viewthe active virtual reality environments that run in stealth mode by, forexample, viewing them through virtual displays which are located withinthe current active environment.

It should be appreciated that remote access to locally stored virtualreality environments can be controlled in a variety of different ways.As previously discussed, every host has an owner (i.e., a certainregistered user). This provides the owner user with the ability toimplement access restrictions for its host as further discussed. Forexample, the owner user can specify that only active virtual realityenvironments can be accessed. Alternatively, the owner user can specifythat certain users can access non-active virtual reality environments.However, non-active virtual reality environments would have to be openedor activated by the local host upon request of the remote user prior toaccess by the remote user.

When hosts establish network communication with one another, the terms“client” and “server” are used to describe the relationship between thehosts. In general, the term “server” means a host that locally storesand operates data, and the term “client” means a host that issues arequest to access the data hosted by the server. For example, when aremote host accesses the active virtual reality environment associatedwith a local host, the remote host becomes an active client for thelocal host (i.e., the remote host operates the virtual realityenvironment in active client mode) while the local host acts as anactive server to the remote host. As viewed and operated by the remotehost, the virtual reality environment is a current active environment.

As applied to the networked computer system of the present invention,one main distinction between a server host and a client host is thatonly a server host running an active virtual reality environment canmodify the permanent data associated with the active virtual realityenvironment. This data is stored in the server host's local persistentmemory (i.e., a hard drive). Direct modifications of remotely hostedvirtual reality data (i.e., data hosted by a client host) are preferablynot allowed. This protects a host's permanent or locally storedvirtually reality data from being modified by remote hosts that run thesame virtual reality environments associated with the local host. Inother words, the local host has complete control over modifications toits own locally stored virtual reality data. Thus, in order to remotelychange this data, the virtual reality environment should be activatedfrom the local host in server mode such that a local or remote user canrequest the local host to make such changes. It should also beappreciated that the local host has control over modifications to thestatic data stored remotely (i.e., such as on data servers) for avirtual reality environment controlled by said local hosts.

It should be appreciated that the present invention does not contemplatethe situation where a host acts as both a server and a client for thesame activated virtual reality environment. This situation isillustrated in FIG. 9 a where host 114 (host B) acts as both a clientfor host 116 (host C) and a server for host 118 (host A) with respect tothe active virtual reality environment 120.

On the other hand, FIG. 9 b illustrates one embodiment of client modeaccording to the present invention. Host A and host B each act as aclient for host C as indicated in block 124 and box 126, respectively,with respect to the active virtual reality environment 120. That is,host A and host B each receive data relating to the virtual realityenvironment 120 from host C. In turn, host C acts as a server to bothhost A and host B as indicated in block 122. That is, host C transmitsdata relating to the virtual reality environment 120 to both host A andhost B.

It should be appreciated that a host cannot activate a client virtualreality environment in stealth mode since stealth mode is used only whena host acts as a server for some virtual reality environment such thatit allows remote clients to access this environment. In addition, remoteclients cannot access a virtual reality environment associated with acertain host which is run in active client mode.

However, a host can act as both a client and a server associated withtwo or more different virtual reality environments as illustrated inFIG. 10. Host 128 (host B) acts as a server for host 130 (host A) withrespect to the virtual reality environment 132 labeled X as indicated inblock 134 and block 136. Alternatively and simultaneously, host B canact a client for host 138 (host C) with respect to the virtual realityenvironment 136 labeled Y as indicated in block 142.

It should be appreciated that active virtual reality environments can beaccessed in a variety of different ways. FIGS. 11 a through 11 dillustrate four such examples. In FIG. 11 a, the host 144 acts as aserver for several active virtual reality environments 146 that run instealth mode. The remote hosts 148, acting as clients, establish networkconnections with the host 144 via a session server 150 to access theactive virtual reality environments. The virtual reality environmentsare run as current active client environments 152 on the remote hosts148 as compared to active server environments 146 running in stealthmode associated with host 144. Thus, the host 144 acts an active serverfor the remote hosts 148.

In FIG. 11 b, a local user 154 monitors the active virtual realityenvironment 156 running as a current active server environment on thehost 158. It also enables the local user 154 to establish a networkcommunication session via the session server 160 with those remote hosts162 (i.e., users associated with the remote hosts) who currently accessthe active virtual reality environment associated with the host 158 thatfunctions in active server mode. The virtual reality environments arerun as current active client environments 164 on the remote hosts 162 ascompared to active server environments 156 running as current in host158.

In FIG. 11 c, the host 166 establishes network communications via asession server 168 to access an active virtual reality environment 170of a remote host 172, acting as a server. Once accessed, the host 166runs the active virtual reality environment in client mode 174 (i.e., acurrent active environment) such that it can be viewed and operated on adisplay 176 by a local user 178.

As illustrated in FIG. 11 d, the host 180 acts a both an active clientand active server as previously discussed. The host 180 acts as a clientfor the remote host 172 as illustrated in FIG. 11 c. Alternatively andsimultaneously, the host 180 acts as a server for the remote hosts 162as illustrated in FIG. 11 b.

It should be appreciated that when a network communication session isestablished between the local host acting as an active server and remotehosts acting as active clients via a session server, any action(s)performed by a local host user and/or remote host user are transmittedto each of the network connected local hosts and remote hosts. Forexample, if the virtual reality environment is a home environment, anychanges to the home environment performed by a certain host, such as,adding a chair to a certain room within the home environment, aretransmitted (as dynamic virtual reality data) to the other hosts innetwork communication with one another. In addition, any changes to thevirtual reality environment resulting from these actions, such as addingthe chair to a room, are saved by the local host and stored on the localhost persistent (i.e., hard drive and not RAM) memory.

When the host acts as a virtual reality active server, the same copy ofthe virtual reality environment that is run on the host is sharedbetween all connecting clients, including the host operator (local hostuser) who can also participate in network communication sessions asillustrated in FIG. 11 b. This communication network has certainlimitations particularly when the number of session participants islarge. For example, this type of virtual reality communication networkis inefficient with respect to, for example, data transmission speed,due to network connection bandwith and computational limitations of bothserver and client computers. This situation is typical for those hostswhich act as public virtual reality portals that are remotely accessedby a large number of users.

To address these limitations, the present invention provides a host(s)capable of acting as a virtual reality passive server for a remotehost(s). In passive server mode, remote hosts (i.e., users of remotehosts) can access virtual reality environments associated with a certainhost regardless if these environments are already in active ornon-active status. The remote host establishes network communication viaa session server with a local host. As a passive server, the local hostsends a copy of the virtual reality environment to the remote host uponrequest from the remote host. Specifically, the local host sends dynamicdata to the remote host. Static data are taken by the client host from adata server after dynamic data were received. After which time, directnetwork communication between the client host (i.e., remote host) andserver host (i.e., local host) is terminated. In other words, suchserver hosts work much in the same way as typical Web servers that sendWeb pages to Web browsers installed on remote computers.

The remote host then activates and operates the virtual realityenvironment in passive client mode, that is, the remote host does notcommunicate with the local host regarding changes made to the “copied”virtual reality environment. In other words, the remote host operates asif it had just activated one of its own locally stored virtual realityenvironments. The only difference being that the remote host cannot saveany changes made to the virtual reality environment. By definition,permanent changes cannot be made to the virtual reality environment bythe host acting in passive client mode. The virtual reality environmentis only a temporary copy and thus the remote host cannot permanentlystore any virtual reality data files associated with this virtualreality environment.

Alternatively, the virtual reality environment can be accessed locallyin passive mode. The main difference between local and remote access isthat the copy of the virtual reality environment is accessed at thelocal host and not via the network at a remote host. Thus, the localpassive server host in this case acts as a passive client for itself.Again, the local user cannot make any permanent changes to the virtualreality environment, just as a remote user, when the virtual realityenvironment is accessed in passive client mode.

It should be appreciated that a virtual reality environment can beaccessed in passive server mode in a variety of different ways dependingon the access restrictions associated with the local host. For example,a remote user can have the right to permanently save the copy of virtualreality environment at its host. In this situation, the remote useressentially owns this copy of the virtual reality environment and cantherefore make and save any changes to it. However, the remote user'ssaved version of the “copied” virtual reality environment is uniquelyidentified, that is, it has a different network identifier than theoriginal. The identifier is assigned and registered by the remote hostuser upon modifying the original copy. This situation is analogous tosaving some document file from an Internet site onto to a localcomputer, that is, at a minimum, the network address of the locallysaved document is different than that of the original Internet file.

Once the modified copy of the original virtual reality environment ispermanently saved, the remote host no longer acts in passive client modewith respect to this virtual reality environment. Instead, the remotehost acts as an active or passive server.

It should be appreciated that passively hosted virtual environmentscannot be modified by users, including the owners of hosts associatedwith such environments. However, the owners of passively hosted virtualenvironments can access such environments both in active mode andpassive mode where active mode is utilized to perform virtual realityenvironment editing.

It should be further appreciated that each remote user who accesses apassively hosted virtual environment obtains its own personalindependent copy of the virtual reality environment. Upon access, theremote user generally does not establish network communication sessionswith other users within this virtual reality environment. However, a“follow user” mode may be utilized to establish network communicationsessions between users who access the passively hosted virtual realityenvironments as described in detail below.

As previously discussed, a desirable feature of the present invention isto provide users with a computer network system which enables them toestablish interactive network sessions such that the user caneffectively operate, function and communicate within a variety ofdifferent virtual reality environments. In order to effectivelyestablish network communications, the users must be able to effectivelylocate the users, hosts, virtual reality environments and the like onthe network. As previously discussed, hosts and users can be registeredand assigned unique identifiers for locating purposes. Registration isperformed by the host via its home session server which stores a varietyof different information associated with the host and its owner asfurther discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 2.

With this information, host, user and other related information can beeffectively located by utilizing a locating mode or process, such as avisit user home mode or follow user mode. In visit user home mode, thelocation task is analogous to locating a certain place. With followuser, the location task is analogous to locating a certain place where acertain person currently resides.

As applied to the present invention, visit user home mode is utilized tofind a certain host on the network as described below with reference toFIG. 12, For example, a user 182 who is working at host 184 having hostID (12345678@dells.ws.us) wants to establish a network connection withanother host 186 having host ID (87654321@chicago.il.us). The host 184has a home session server 188 that has a domain name “dells.ws.us” asindicated in box 189. In addition, the other host 186 has home sessionserver 190 with a domain name “chicago.il.us” as indicated in box 191.

To locate this host 186, a request is sent to the home session server188 from host 184. The request identifies the host 186 to be located byits host ID. The home session server 188 compares the domain name partof the requested host name (i.e., the part of the name following the “@”character) and determines that it is not equal to its own domain name.Thus, it knows that the requested host 186 is not listed in its owndatabase, and therefore, redirects this request to the upper leveldomain server, such as name server 192 with a domain name “ws.us” asindicated. This server 192 compares its own domain name with thecorresponding part of the requested host name, that is, it compares“ws.us” with “il.us”.

Because these names are different, the request is redirected to the nextupper level domain server, namely, name server 194 with domain name “us”as indicated. At this level, the server domain name (“us”) and hostdomain subname (“us”) are equal. The name server 194 attempts to find aserver (name or session) within its family of child servers that has thename extension “il,” (i.e., the full domain name “il.us”). As shown inFIG. 12, this server is a lower domain level name server 196. Therequest is redirected to it. The name server 196 performs a similarsearch and in turn redirects the request to the session server 190 whichsearches its local database for the host 186 that has the identifier87654321.

It then reviews this host's status field to determine whether the hostis on-line or off-line. If this host is currently online, it sends theIP address of this host 186 and the IP address of itself back to host184. With this information, network communication can be establishedbetween host 184 and host 186.

The IP address of the host 186 session server 190 can be saved in alocal database of host 184, such as in an address book. With this savedinformation, the host 184 can directly contact the other host 186without having to make another search request for the host 186 sessionserver IP address. It should be appreciated that the host status caninclude a variety of different information other than whether it is“online” or “offline.” As further illustrated in FIG. 3, the host statusfield 30 can include whether it has been “redirected” as indicated inbox 30 a or “moved” (not shown). If redirected, the host 186 has beentemporarily moved to another location. If moved, the host 186 has beenpermanently relocated and assigned to another session server. Thus, thehost 184 would need to contact the newly assigned session server torequest the actual host status and IP address of the permanentlyrelocated host session server.

Turning now to FIG. 13, an embodiment of the follow user mode isillustrated. In this example, the user at host 198 (i.e., Host A) wantsto establish a network communication with a certain user, namely theowner of the Host B. First, Host A can issue a search request to itssession server 200 in order to determine the primary host associatedwith the home session server of the requested user. This can be done bylocating a host which has a host ID that equals the user ID of therequested user (i.e., the user who with network communication issought). As previously discussed, a host having the same host ID anduser ID (owner ID) is a primary host to a user with this user ID.

By locating the primary host 202 (Host B in FIG. 13) and its homesession server 204, Host A can request and receive information from thehome session server 204 relating to the whereabouts of the requesteduser as indicated in box 206. This information can be retrieved from theowner terminal field 40 (FIG. 3) of Host B's database record which isstored at session server 204. For purposes of this example, the ownerterminal field identifies that the requested user is logged into Host208 (Host C). Host B's home session server 204 acquired this informationwhen the requested user first logs into Host C. This information wastransmitted to Host B's home session server in order to update the ownerterminal field in Host B's database record.

With this information, Host A can establish network communications withHost C to further determine how a network communication can beestablished with the requested user. By establishing networkcommunication with Host C, Host A can issue a follow user mode (“followmode”) request to Host C as indicated in block 210. In follow user mode,Host C can determine, for example, the virtual reality environment andits corresponding host that the requested user is currently accessing.In this example, Host C communicates to Host A that the requested useris currently accessing the virtual reality environment associated withHost 212 (Host D) via Host C as indicated in block 214.

If, for example, the virtual reality environment that the requested useris accessing is run in active mode, Host D acts as an active server innetwork communication with Host C acting as an active client for Host D.Thus, Host A can establish network communication with Host 0 in order tointeract with the requested user as indicated in block 216.

It should be appreciated that, in this example, the requested usercannot be contacted via a network communication with Host C because HostC is an active client. As previously discussed and further illustratedin FIG. 9 a, a host cannot act as both a client and a server for thesame virtual reality environment.

If it is assumed, for example, that Host 0 acts as a passive server asindicated in box 218, Host A must then establish a network communicationwith Host C in order to interact with the requested user as indicated inbox 220. This results because Host 0 is not in network communicationwith either Host C or Host A. As previously discussed, a passive server(i.e., Host D) discontinues network communication with passive clients(i.e., Host A and Host C) once a copy of the virtual reality environmentis transmitted to the passive clients from the passive server.

By establishing a network connection between Host A and Host C, theserver Host D is effectively bypassed. In other words, this situationresults in network communication between a group of hosts (i.e., Host Aand Host C). This type of network communication is referred to as asymmetric communication channel such that each host of the group canestablish a peer-to-peer connection with the other hosts of the group.In this situation, each host contains its own local database whichincludes the host IDs of the other hosts.

Other hosts can join the group of hosts by connecting to one of thehosts of the group, for example, by issuing a follow user mode requestas previously discussed. Once connected, the newest host member of thegroup receives the list of host IDs of each of the hosts in the group.In turn, the newest member sends its host ID to each of the hosts suchthat each of their group databases can be updated. This type of networkconnection continues provided that at least two hosts of the groupremain in network communication with one another.

The symmetric communication channel contrasts the situation wherenetwork communication between hosts is established through a dedicatedor central server. This type of network communication is referred to asasymmetric communication channel. An advantage of the symmetriccommunication channel is that it is not dependent on a central ordedicated server, that is, this type of network communication existsprovided that at least two hosts remain in network connection. However,the asymmetric communication channel ends once the central serverterminates the session. This means that the client hosts will no longerhave access to the virtual reality environment associated with thededicated server.

Thus, the symmetric communication channel enables a number of relativelysmall independent user groups to share different and independent copiesof a virtual reality environment. For example, three separate usergroups 222 can be established between hosts. These groups 222 eachcontain a copy of a virtual reality environment received from a serverhost 224 acting in passive mode as illustrated in FIG. 14. As previouslydiscussed, the network connection exists between the passive clienthosts and not between the hosts and server. Each of the groups includeat least two host group members 226, including at least one group member228 who initiated the group (i.e., the group initiator). Other hosts canjoin the group by executing follow user location requests as previouslydiscussed. It should be appreciated that the group initiator can leavethe group at any time without interrupting the network communicationsession between the remaining group members since each user group iscompletely symmetric relative to its members.

As previously discussed, “visit user home” and “follow user” accessmodes may be utilized by host users to travel between different virtualreality environments. To facilitate such travel, the present inventionprovides a method of continuous group teleportation between virtualenvironments utilizing “visit user home” and “follow user” accessmethods as described above. The term “continuous” means that the virtualnetwork communication between the group of users is effectivelyuninterrupted during teleportation. Thus, the group of users maycontinue to perform certain networked virtual tasks. For example, a usermay be able to view the users; namely, the users avatars, whoparticipate in the group teleportation process, communicate with them,play games and perform other like virtual tasks.

As applied to the present invention, dedicated entry point objects(entry points) and teleportation objects (teleporters) are utilized tofacilitate continuous user group teleportation. In general, an entrypoint is a closed area located within a virtual reality environment,such as a room or booth. The entry point enables a user(s) to positionitself (i.e., its user avatar) within a corresponding teleporter. Inturn, teleporters are utilized to teleport a user or a group of users toother virtual environments.

Unlike entry points 249, teleporters 250 are located outside the areathat is occupied by a virtual reality environment 251 in a single threedimensional coordinate space 252 rendered by the host virtual realitysoftware as illustrated in FIG. 15 a and as indicated in box 253 and box254. The teleporter region 255 is located outside of the virtualenvironment 251 from which the users are teleported. For example,teleporters 250 may be located beneath the ground surface 256 of thevirtual environment 251. In this location, the defined space of theteleporter 250 and that of the virtual environment 251 do not intersect.Thus, the teleporter region 255 is not visible to and cannot be enteredby the user(s) 257 from within the virtual environment 251. Theteleporter 250 has one or several entry regions upon which entry can bemade via adjacent entry point clones as discussed below.

An entry point done has an identical structure as that of acorresponding entry point object associated with the virtualenvironment. However, the entry point done, like the teleporter, islocated outside of the virtual environment. When the user moves itsavatar into an entry point area associated with the virtual environment,it is instantly moved to a corresponding entry point done from which theuser may further proceed to the teleporter. It should be appreciatedthat since entry points and their corresponding clones concurrentlyexist and are kept in active state within identical three dimensionalcoordinate space, user avatars may be instantly moved between them. Auser can move between entry point and an entry point clone with thespeed of frame rendering which is typically about 1/30 of a second.

Teleporters are preferably equipped with a teleportation control panel.This provides the users with an interface to perform teleportationoperations. The control panel may be utilized to perform a variety ofdifferent operations, such as personal address book access, destinationpreview feature and teleportation progress visual monitoring system. Theteleporter can also include a variety of personal objects, such asfurniture and the like. The personal objects can be utilized tofacilitate virtual communication and interaction within the teleporter.

When a teleportation function is performed, the avatars of allparticipating users are temporarily locked within the teleporter. Thiscontinues until the destination virtual environment, including its entrypoints and entry point clones, is loaded and activated at each usershost. Thus, teleportation is actually performed in the background modeand does not interrupt the network session between the teleportingusers. In other words, all users locked within the teleporter cancommunicate with each other and interact with other objects locatedtherein.

With the destination virtual reality environment loaded and activated atall participating hosts, teleporters associated with the hosts will beconnected to entry points via corresponding entry point clones. Thus,the users can exit the entry points via the entry point clones into thedestination virtual environment.

It should be appreciated that teleporters are generally not viewed byusers within the virtual environment. Therefore, the teleporters aregenerally not designed to fit any particular virtual environment whichusers are teleported to or from. This function is effectivelyaccomplished by the entry point objects which may be designed in manydifferent ways both from inside and outside the virtual environmentdepending on the particular qualities of each virtual realityenvironment. Thus, visual compatibility between entry points associatedwith the destination virtual environment and teleporters is onlyrequired along respective adjacent surfaces. This greatly simplifiesdesign requirements which are necessary to achieve compatibility.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 15 through 17, an embodiment ofcontinuous group teleportation is illustrated. FIG. 15 demonstrates anexample of a location of each of an entry point, its clone and aconnected teleporter object relative to a virtual reality environmentwithin three dimensional coordinate space. Entry point 300 is located onthe virtual environment ground surface 306. Users 305 may enter theentry point object 300 through the door 304. From inside the entry pointobject 300, a user avatar(s) is moved to a corresponding entry pointclone 301 which is located beneath the virtual environment groundsurface 306. The entry point clone is geometrically adjacent to ateleporter 302. The user may move the avatar between the entry pointclone area and the teleporter area through a door (not shown) located onthe region 303 that separates the entry point clone 301 from theteleporter 302.

The details of user avatar movement from an entry point object to itsclone and further to a teleporter are illustrated in FIG. 16. Entrypoint object 300 is divided into two adjacent subareas, namely, neutralarea 310 and transfer area 311 which are connected through an invisiblesurface 312. The corresponding entry point clone 301 exists as an exactcopy of the original entry point 300 except that the neutral area andthe transfer area are inverted relative to each other. In other words,the neutral area 314 within the clone 301 corresponds to the transferarea 311 within the original entry point 300, and the transfer area 313of the done 301 corresponds to the neutral area 310 of the originalentry point 300. The area 313 and the area 314 are connected through aninvisible surface 315 which has the same coordinate position as thesurface 312.

When a user moves its avatar from the neutral area 310 of the originalentry point object to the transfer area 311, it is instantly moved tothe same coordinate position within the neutral area 314 of the clone.At this stage, the user can move the avatar directly into the teleporter303 through the door 316 or can return to the neutral area 310 of theentry point object 300 by moving the avatar to the transfer area 313 ofthe clone. To provide the same interior look of the entry point object300 and it's clone 301, the visual images of the door 319 and the door320 are added to each object. It should be appreciated that the user'savatar does not reach these doors since it is instantly transferred to aconjugate object whenever it tries to approach them from the neutralarea. As also illustrated in FIG. 16, the teleporter object 302 isequipped with a teleportation control panel object 317, an emergencyexit 318 and other optional objects 319.

The emergency exit 318 may be utilized by users to leave the teleporterafter teleportation has started. This may be necessary, for example,when a particular user decides not to be teleported or when a user'shost has a faulty network connection which would make it impossible forother users in the group to accomplish the teleportation process. When auser leaves the teleporter area through the emergency exit, the networkconnection between its host and the hosts of the other usersparticipating in group teleportation is interrupted. The user avatar ismoved to a pre-defined system emergency teleportation capsule (notshown). This area is similar to a regular teleporter, although it onlyincludes a teleportation control panel inside. It should be appreciatedthat group teleportation via emergency teleportation capsules isimpossible since each user that passes through an emergency exit obtainshis own personal copy of the capsule.

The teleportation control panel 317 is utilized for the selection of adestination virtual reality environment and teleportation processcontrol. The layout of the teleportation control panel is furtherillustrated in FIG. 17. The control panel can include a display screen330 and control buttons 331 to 341. The button 331 and button 332 areused to display a list of respective places and people from a user'spersonal address book as shown in FIGS. 18 a and 18 b. The user canselect a place or person from the list 351 or enter it manually in thefield 352. By selecting a place, the user instructs the system toperform teleportation in “visit user home” mode. By selecting a person,the user instructs the system to perform teleportation in “follow user”mode.

When a place or a person is selected, the informational page associatedwith the destination virtual environment is displayed on the screen asshown in FIG. 18 c. The page contains general information about thedestination virtual reality environment. This information is downloadedfrom the home session server of the host at which the destinationvirtual environment is stored. Informational pages are preferably storedin XML or other analogous data format. Thus, these pages are similar toconventional Web pages.

Since informational pages are stored on the session servers, they areavailable to users, regardless of whether the corresponding host isonline or offline. The virtual reality environment informational pagecan include a variety of different information. It preferably contains adescription 361, a list of available entry points 362, an availabilitystatus (i.e., open or closed) 363 and other like data. A generalinformation view of the destination virtual reality environment may beselected by pressing the “Info” button 333. Pan scrolling of theinformation page content can be conducted via a set of buttons 338.

Before teleporting to the selected virtual reality environment, a usermay specify an entry point corresponding to the destination virtualenvironment. The desired entry point may be selected from the list 362of entry points that are available on the general information page.Another entry point selection method is provided via an interactive mapas shown in FIG. 18 d. The map view may be selected on the control panelscreen 330 by pressing the “Map” button 334. A standard set of zoomcontrol (335 a and 335) and pan scrolling (338) functions are provided.If the user does not specify an entry point, a default (main) entrypoint is selected automatically by the system.

As illustrated in FIG. 18 d, a virtual reality environment map indicatesthe locations of all available entry points 371, locked entry points372, main entry points 373 and other like information. It can alsoindicate the current location of the user avatar 374 within the virtualenvironment if a “follow user” teleportation method was selected by theuser as discussed above.

By pressing the “Preview” button 336 (FIG. 17), the user may switch to apanoramic screenshot of the destination virtual reality environment(FIG. 18 e) as it is seen from a selected (or main by default) entrypoint through a virtual video camera located on top of it. Pan scrollingbuttons 338 are used to rotate the virtual camera around its axis. Itshould be appreciated that the panoramic view feature does not requirethe destination virtual environment to be loaded and activated on auser's host since it is only a small-size static 360-degree screenshotof the three dimensional scene taken from the entry point position.

Buttons 339 through 341 are used for teleportation control. The“Lock/Unlock” button 339 is used to close and/or open doors 316 (FIG.16) into a teleportation area. This restricts access of other users intoit. The “Start/Stop” button 341 starts and/or stops the teleportationprocess. The “Return” button 340 can be utilized to return to thevirtual reality environment from where teleportation was initiated.

After a user has pressed the “Start/Stop” button 341, the control panelscreen 330 will be switched to the teleportation progress display modeas shown in FIG. 18 f. This display mode may be selected at any time bydepressing the “Progress” button 337.

It should be appreciated that a teleportation control panel may be usedby one user at a time. However, all other users participating in groupteleportation may watch certain actions performed by the user currentlyworking with the panel. Visibility of each display mode by other usersmay be changed by the user currently working with the panel by pressingthe “Options” button 342 (FIG. 17) and selecting an appropriatevisibility settings (not shown). The help button 343 (FIG. 17) can beutilized to provide a set of instructions relating to the teleportationprocess.

After moving a user avatar into the teleporter, a user may capture andactivate the teleportation control panel object. This can be done by avariety of different ways, preferably by double clicking the mousebutton over it. Once captured, the teleportation control panel objectautomatically moves the user avatar towards it and places the avatar infront of the panel so the user may see the panel in full screen. Thepanel object remains locked with respect to use by the other usersentering the teleportation area, that is, the other users are notallowed to capture the panel unless the panel is released. The user whocurrently operates the panel may release it by a variety of ways,preferably by double clicking the mouse button at any point outside thepanel.

An embodiment of the network dynamics associated with groupteleportation is shown in FIGS. 19 a, 19 b and 19 c. In this example, itis assumed that the departure virtual environment and the destinationvirtual environment are hosted in active server mode. Turning to FIG. 19a, the departure virtual reality environment is stored at the serverhost 381 and accessed by users at the remote client host 382 a, theremote client host 382 b, the remote client host 382 c, the remoteclient host 383 a, the remote client host 383 b and the remote clienthost 384. Thus, the host 381, the remote client host 382 a, the remoteclient host 382 b, the remote client host 382 c, the remote client host383 a, the remote client host 383 b and the remote client host 384establish a network session via an asymmetric communication channel.

Similarly, the destination virtual reality environment is stored at theserver host 391 and accessed by users at the remote client host 392 a,the remote client host 392 b and the remote client host 392 c. The usersof host 383 a, host 383 b and host 384 form the group 385. This group385 is to be teleported to the destination virtual environment such thatthe user avatars are located inside the teleportation object.Furthermore, the user at host 384 operates the teleportation controlpanel. In other words, the host 384 acts as an initiator of theteleportation process.

When a user of host 384 initiates the teleportation procedure (bypressing “Start/Stop” button 341 FIG. 17), client host 383 a, clienthost 383 b and client host 384 are disconnected from the server host 381to form an independent group 400 as it is further illustrated in FIG. 19b. This establishes a network session between each of the users of thegroup via a symmetric communication channel. In this example, host 384acts as group initiator. It should be appreciated that any host mayleave the group at any time without interrupting the network connectionbetween the remaining other hosts since host 383 a, host 383 b and host384 are interconnected via a symmetric network scheme. As previouslydiscussed, the host user may leave the group by utilizing an emergencyexit.

After the user group 400 is created, host 383 a, host 383 b and host 384issue a request to download data associated with the destination virtualreality environment. Dynamic data is downloaded from the server host391. Static data is downloaded from a corresponding data server (notshown). Furthermore, host 384 sends to the server host 391 anotification message to lock the entry point selected at the destinationenvironment by the user of host 384 such that it cannot be used forteleportation by another host or group of hosts during this time. Aslong as the required data is downloaded to the hosts, the hosts cancontinue to exchange download progress messages between each other whichare displayed on the control panel screen as shown in FIG. 18 f.

FIG. 19 c illustrates the situation when a download of destinationvirtual reality data to the host 383 a, host 383 b and host 384 iscomplete. At this moment, the host 383 a, host 383 b and host 384 areconnected to the server host 391 as its clients. The entry point objectat the destination virtual environment is unlocked and, thus, the usersmay move their avatars into the destination virtual environment.

As described above, each virtual reality environment may have anassociated informational page located on the session server of the host,at which this virtual reality environment is stored. The owner of thehost will submit virtual environment informational pages to the host'ssession server if it is made available for remote access from otherhosts. Informational pages are submitted to session servers in XML orother analogous data format, and are similar to conventional Web pages.

Each virtual environment informational page, as in a regular Web page,preferably contains meta-informational tags, which may be used byvarious Web search engines for page data classification purposes. Suchmeta tags usually contain brief page description and the list ofassociated keywords. When the Web page is submitted to a search engine,this meta-information and page contents are used to properly positionand index it in a search engine database. Upon a user page searchrequest to a search engine, the search engine looks up its database andresponds with the list of relevant web pages.

One problem with the existing Web search engines is that there is anumber of them existing on the Internet and typically owners of websites need to submit their web pages to practically all of them to makesure their web sites could be found by various users, which may preferusing different search engines. This may become a very time consumingprocess without usage of special tools, which automate web pagesubmission. Such tools are typically implemented as stand-aloneprograms, containing relatively large database of existing searchengines. Each record within such database contains search enginesubmission page URL along with data submission form, which should beused for online to submission of a web page to a particular searchengine. It should be appreciated that since both submission page URL andsubmission form data format may be changed by search engine developersat any time, the success of automated web page submission process withthe help of any tool of described type in general can not be guaranteed,because its database is not guaranteed to have the correct data at anygiven time.

Another problem with existing search engines is that they don'tguarantee that submitted web page information will be stored permanentlyin the search engine database and also may produce incorrect searchresults. This problem originates from the fact that search enginesusually collect information from the web sites around the world orrelatively large geographical domains and thus their databases maypotentially grow to an enormous number of records, which in turn may notall contain correct information due to constant changes of existing websites contents and structure. To keep their databases consistent, searchengines must periodically perform clean up procedures in order to removebroken or outdated links and free disk space for new web pagesubmissions. This in turn, results in the third major problem ofexisting search engines, which manifests as a requirement for web siteoperators to continuously resubmit web pages to search engines on aregular basis in order to keep them from being swapped out from searchengine databases by clean up procedures. It should be appreciated thatsuch resubmission procedure must be performed by web site operatorsregardless of whether their web site contents were changed.

The present invention solves the above problems by providing adistributed network data search system which facilitates a virtualenvironment informational pages submission process and provides highlevel of search data integrity. In addition, such a system does notrequire an extremely high computational power of software and hardwareresources, which is typically needed to provide an acceptableperformance of a centrally hosted data search engine.

According to the present invention, each session server is equipped withthe data search engine software, which is used for submittinginformational pages of virtual reality environments, storing andindexing submitted informational pages in its page search database andserving page search requests from hosts. It should be appreciated, thatif a host owner needs to submit an informational page which describes avirtual environment stored at the host, this page should be submittedonly to the home session servers of that host. Thus, each session servermay only contain search information about virtual reality environmentsstored at hosts, which have it assigned as a home session server.

The information about the virtual reality environment is stored on thesession server unless this environment is removed from the host by thehost owner, or host the time limit is expired, as described above withregard to removal of idle host virtual reality static data from it'shome data servers.

Handling of a user page search request is a distributed process whichutilizes the name and session servers network infrastructure and,depending on the request scope, may spread among all name and sessionservers on the network or only activate part of them. As discussedabove, name and session servers are interconnected with each otheraccording to their domain names and form a tree-like hierarchy. Theprocess of retrieving search results includes traversing the tree ofname and session servers and sending search results from session serversback to a requesting host unless all name and session servers aretraversed.

When a host user issues a page search request to the network, it mayspecify the search scope. The search scope is identified by the domainname of the name or session server, which will be considered the topserver of the search subtree. If the search scope was not specified bythe host, the root name sever will be considered as the top server. Itshould be also appreciated that a host may specify a plurality of domainnames as a search scope and thus a page search will be conducted inseveral subtrees of an entire network.

An example of such a distributed search process is illustrated on FIG.20, where host X 410 issues page search request 411 to the name serverIL.US 412, specifying it as the top name server associated with thesearch tree including the hierarchical network of name servers 415.Since the server IL.US 412 is a name server, it cannot return any searchresults back to the host 410, and responds 413 with the list of IPaddresses of its three child servers CH.IL.US 414, SOUTH.IL.US 416 andNORTH.IL.US 418. Having the IP addresses of these servers, host X 410disconnects from IL.US 412 and reissues its request 411 to all IL.USchild servers. As illustrated in FIG. 20, server CH.IL.US 414 is thename server of the lower level of server hierarchy.

Upon a host's page search request to server CH.IL.US 414, this nameserver responds 413 with the list of its own child servers A.CH.IL.US420 and B.CH.IL.US 422, while SOUTH.IL.US 416 and NORTH.IL.US 418servers are the session servers, which actually send 419 their pagesearch results back to the host 410. When the host 410 has received theIP addresses of A.CH.IL.US 420 and B.CH.IL.US 422 session servers, itsimilarly sends them the same page search request 411 and waits for themto send 419 their search results. The results received by the host 410from all session servers within a specified subtree are grouped andsorted by their relevancy to a search request and displayed to the hostuser.

It should be appreciated that all single requests to the name andsession servers may be initiated by host asynchronously and parallel toeach other. In other words, a host should not wait, for example, for theresults of a page search request from the servers SOUTH.IL.US 416 andNORTH.IL.US 418 before it can send the request to, for example, sessionservers A.CH.IL.US 420 and B.CH.IL.US 422. The only limitation appliedis the maximum number of TOP connections the host can concurrentlysupport. To overcome this issue, the host should put all requests to besent into a dedicated page request queue if the maximum number of TOPconnections is reached. As soon as a TOP connection is closed andreleased by one of the servers, the host checks the queue and, if it isnot empty, retrieves and sends the first awaiting page search requestfrom the queue to the name or session server indicated in the request.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention, and it is understood that this application is to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A method of shifting users between a plurality of different virtualreality environments, said method comprising the steps of: determiningthat a user group containing at least one user has been created, saiduser group associated with a departure virtual reality environment,wherein each of the at least one user is associated with a host;facilitating establishment of network communication between a hostassociated with each of the at least one user of the user group;determining a destination virtual reality environment for the usergroup; determining a destination server host associated with thedestination virtual reality environment; transmitting data representingthe destination virtual reality environment to each host associated witheach of the at least one user of the user group; and facilitatingestablishment of network communication between the destination serverhost and the host associated with each of the at least one user of theuser group, thus enabling each user of the user group to interact withthe destination virtual reality environment.
 2. The method of claim 1,which includes causing a display of a teleporter within the departurevirtual reality environment to each user of the user group; andestablishing the continuous network communication between the host ofeach user of the user group after each user of the user group hasprovided an indication of an association with the teleporter.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, which includes enabling at least one user to indicatethe association of said host with the teleporter by inputting at leastone indication to move an avatar associated with that user into an areaof the virtual reality environment associated with the teleporter. 4.The method of claim 3, which includes causing a display of an avatarassociated with each of the users of the user group within the teleporter.
 5. The method of claim 1, which includes defining the user groupbased on a plurality of users who have provided an indication of adesire to shift virtual reality environments.
 6. The method of claim 1,which includes determining the destination virtual reality environmentbased on at least one user group preference.
 7. The method of claim 6,winch includes determining the at least one user group preference basedon a plurality of inputs by the users of the user group.
 8. The methodof claim 1, which includes determining the destination virtual realityenvironment based on a random determination.
 9. The method of claim 1,which includes determining the destination virtual reality environmentbased on a characteristic of the departure virtual reality environment.10. The method of claim 9, which includes storing a static associationbetween the departure virtual reality environment and the destinationvirtual reality environment as the characteristic of the departurevirtual reality environment.
 11. A virtual reality environment shiftingsystem comprising: at least one processor; at least one networkinterface device; and at least one memory device that stores a pluralityof instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor,cause the at least one processor to operate with the at least onenetwork interface device to: (a) determine that a user group containingat least one user has been created, said user group associated with adeparture virtual reality environment, wherein each of the at least oneuser is associated with a host; (b) facilitate establishment of networkcommunication between a host associated with each of the at least oneuser of the user group; (c) determine a destination virtual realityenvironment for the user group; (d) determine a destination server hostassociated with the destination virtual reality environment; (e)transmit data representing the destination virtual reality environmentto each host associated with each of the at least one user of the usergroup; and (f) facilitate establishment of network communication betweenthe destination server host and the host associated with each of the atleast one user of the user group, thus enabling each user of the usergroup to interact with the destination virtual reality environment. 12.The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of instructions, whenexecuted by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processorto cause a display device to: display a teleporter within the departurevirtual reality environment to each user of the user group; andestablish the continuous network communication between the hostassociated with each user of the user group after each user of the usergroup has provided an indication of an association of that host with theteleporter.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication of theassociation of said host with the teleporter includes at least one inputby the user using at least one input device to move an avatar associatedwith the user into an area of the virtual reality environment associatedwith the teleporter.
 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pluralityof instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause theat least one processor to cause a display device to display an avatarassociated with each of the users of the user group within theteleporter.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the user group isdefined based on a plurality of users who have provided an indication ofa desire to shift virtual reality environments.
 16. The system of claim11, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at leastone processor, cause the at least one processor to determine thedestination virtual reality environment based on at least one user grouppreference.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one usergroup preference is based on a plurality of inputs by the users of theuser group.
 18. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality ofinstructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the atleast one processor to determine the destination virtual realityenvironment based on a random determination.
 19. The system of claim 11,wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least oneprocessor, cause the at least one processor to determine the destinationvirtual reality environment based on a characteristic of the departurevirtual reality environment.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein thecharacteristic of the departure virtual reality environment includes astatic association between the departure virtual reality environment andthe destination virtual reality environment.